Jay2013jk

Has anyone built a locking truck (not a box) for the JK Unlimited? IF so, would like to see your plans, blueprints, specs. Instatrunk does not cover completely rear seat back to the tailgate. Appreciate the help.

Croce

One of the best mods i've ever done. Theres even enough room for the wife and i to camp in the back
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-w...torage-178549/


Edit: Re-read. that's exactly what your not wanting lol. I saw a post where someone made a trunk thats fully enclosed when seats or up or down, lemee see if i can find it

Found some, hope these help or point you in the right direction
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-write-ups-39/homemade-rear-cargo-trunk-$48-37533/
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-write-ups-39/unlimited-trunk-security-$55-2-hours-94498/
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-write-ups-39/diy-2-dr-trunk-$80-52629/
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-w...-trunk-251029/
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-s...er-jku-165298/
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-w...nk-box-238457/

Mattk11

I had a friend with a metal shop make me a trunk lid out of diamond plate for my JKU. The local powder coater sprayed it for $50. It bolts down with the same screws that hold on the hard top and has a sloping front that matches the angle of the rear seat-backs. When you close the tailgate and hit the lock button, the back is secure and safe.

I made a template from cardboard (but threw it away). It is a two-piece design to accommodate the roll bars. I took the template to the metal shop and he just cut it out with the plasma cutter and bolted and welded all together. It stays in place with the soft top on and It can be taken off in the winter when the hard top goes back on.

Yes, if someone has a torx wrench, they could remove the screws and take the top off. But I don't leave it anywhere over night outside and if someone went through the trouble in the mall parking lot, it would be pretty obvious. Plus it's pretty heavy steel. If I were doing another, I'd use aluminum diamond plate.

mr72

Here's mine. It's just a cover, I wanted something lightweight and easy to remove, plus wanted the flexibility of folding the seats down and getting more space.

Aluminum frame with polycarbonate panels. I have since made a rubber type cover from puzzle mat.

Jay2013jk

Found on Ebay.. check it out.
Jeep Wrangler Cargo Cover | eBay

mr72

The problem with so many of these DIY solutions to me is that they are made of plywood. Sure, it's easy to get, very easy to work with, inexpensive. Most people have tools that will get the job done with materials from Home Depot.

But it will warp and swell and is generally not the right material to make something from that will live in a Jeep IMHO.

When I made mine, I used polycarbonate roof panels which are pretty much the same strength as 5/16" plywood and much lighter, with an aluminum frame. All joints are pop rivets with corner bracket reinforcements, mitered aluminum angle and then sealed up with JB Weld. I later added one horizontal steel support across the 58" width since it was a little saggy in the middle. But still the whole thing is like under 10 lb and completely waterproof... I mean, if it gets rained on or wet, it won't swell, delaminate or warp.

If I had it to do over again, and I am sure I will do it over again, I would make it in two pieces with breakaway hinges between a joint that runs approximately between the two sport bar areas. This would not only make it a lot easier to install and remove, but it would further make it way easier to temporarily make a "tall" space like when my wife goes to the store and winds up buying a potted plant that has to come home in the Jeep. I'd probably still use the polycarbonate and aluminum frame, it is pretty much ideal. But it's very tempting to try and make one from 18ga steel and use a sheet metal brake to basically build it all from one piece of material. I would use 0.080" thick aluminum but it's prohibitively expensive.

I love tinkering and building this kind of thing so I'm sure I'll go through several of these during the lifetime of my Jeep.

Cats&Jeeps

Do you pics of the polycarbonate trunk?

mr72

Nope. Well, I took some but there's nothing really impressive to see about it. I'd have to remove it and do a series of pictures up close.

tb8215

Like this?

btz

Any more pics?